What are people running?

Also I've seen the likes of FRM and FSA at about €4-500, damned expensive. Most seem to have a 29/40, isn't that going to give problems? I love grinding though at 44T. So the FSA 29/44 would be the best for me, no?
FRM stuff here.

Got any links to the stuff you mentioned njee20?

Pick your rings from here (there may be cheaper places around, Starbike charge a lot for shipping), they're just standard TA Chinook rings. Then get some short bolts, KCNC ones are light and pimpy, and you're away.

I wouldn't worry too much about dedicated 2×9 chainsets, they just limit your choice of replacement rings frankly. FRM ones are known for having poor longevity.

Do you really use your 44 that much? Particularly at the bottom of the block. I would say a 40 or 42 would be far more usable, you're only losing the top 1 or 2 gears.

If you go for a 40 you loose 1 gear (44/12 ~ 40/11). How often are you riding along in 44-11?

i've got 22/ 36T

however it is a 29er and it is not a race bike (it is but it's not built for racing if you see what i mean…)

24/36 here tend to roll in 36 all day long, except when its hella boggy or really steep. nice to have the option of the 24 when i need it though.

occasionally spin out, but you have to be going fairly quick for off road pace. most things proper fast off road i tend to find im not pedalling anyways. like my downhills to be a bit more tech and a bit less sprint…

Do you really use your 44 that much?

Oh yes, and right across the cassette. It might not be the best for the chain, but that's how I ride. Today's ride was about 45km with 800m climbing. I'd say 35-40km done in 44 and about 600m climbing!!

I was talking to some folks about it a couple of weeks ago and there seemed to be a lot of comments about the speed that was lost on the flat sections due to the 40T.

I was even thinking today about why the ss only uses 32T, why not go to 44/28???

So I guess for me it would simply be a case of stripping off the granny ring, buying a 29T ring and any bolts, a road front mech and ride?? Or am I missing something?

If you're not using the granny anyway though, sticking with a 22/24 is a bit daft! You may as well go 1×9, or give you a double which is more usable!

I did find myself in top gear on the road with a 40, but never span out. Don't think I'd get on with a 36 though, reckon I'd spend a lot of time right at the bottom of the block.

So I guess for me it would simply be a case of stripping off the granny ring, buying a 29T ring and any bolts, a road front mech and ride?? Or am I missing something?

Yep, if that's what you wanna do. If people think they're losing a lot of gears with a 40t, they're wrong, it's psychological.

you might be right actually. id prob have more use for 29/40

but my bash guard only goes up to 36, and me rings and bash were free.

easy choices!

22/36 Deore rings on a Hone crankset, used with an 11-30t cassette and SLX mechs…

There are clearly two schools of thought on the whole 'double' thing, I think there should be stipulations in the thread title!

– The double/bash folk with a 22/36 type ratio, who will shout all day long that a 36 is more than enough, and:

– The XC brigade who'll go for a 28/40 type ratio, saying that the 22/24 is pointless

2×10 should go a fair way to satisfy both mind!

incidently i dont really think i need a bash. if you go as small as a 36 the clearance is SOOO much more anyways. have to be a right numpty/trials rider to bash it ever….

If you want to ride everything.

26/38. 11-32 cassette.

Alps. Wales. Racing. Training. Everything.

lol at missing out on top end speed when using a 40 …

kenta G will still own you on 36 upfront 1×9

learn to spin

I can ride everything I've come across that's rideable on a 28/40 though… and so it begins!

Basically it's personal!

I can definitely see that a 36 would be more than adequate off road, I ride 7 miles to the trails, and that's where I like having the extra couple of gears with the 40! Judging by Kenta's descending at Margam on Saturday (before he crashed!) he was close to spinning out the 36 whilst most people were struggling to turn the pedals in the mud!

aye nick too true –

josh ibbett runs 28:40 for 24hrs – tempted to give it ago tbh – never use my granny just like the security it provides when doing a 24 of being able to drop into it at the low ebb and grind out

I ran 28/40 for my 12 hour solo at 24/12, I wouldn't want any lower for a 24 personally.

depends where your doing em … at 24/12 i did or mayhem i wouldnt want a granny

doing relentless climbing the lazy K id want one !

It makes a lot of sense on a 29er as the bottom 4 gears using a triple are worthless anyway as the wheel is then spinning too slowly !

trail_rat – Member

lol at missing out on top end speed when using a 40 …

kenta G will still own you on 36 upfront 1×9

learn to spin

Quite possible and I do know how to spin, it just provokes my asthma! If I want to spin I'll go to 44/28! 😉 The psychological benefit of passing someone on a climb in the big ring is priceless 😆

If this link works, here's avid of Paco Mancebo a couple of weeks ago. During the traing rides he was climbing at 40T but dropped to 27T for the race.
video

I also did this a couple of times on the Saturday on the SS (32:16), without major issues, but I wouldn't want to race it.

I have found 22-30 a useful ratio on occasion although I can’t imagine needing anything spinier, and for general off road riding if I'm honest I've found 36-11 tall enough, previously running 32-11 just wasn't tall enough though, for churning along on the road 36-11 is probably a little low but then it's an MTB not a road bike…

To be honest I think the spread of your cassette and the highest and lowest ratios you can get have a lot more to do with it, using a 22t granny ring with a 34t or bigger sprocket seems far too spinney to be of any use to me, but I think if you’re considering using 11-34 or 11-36t cassettes then realistically you’ll either be going 1×9/1×10 or going for a higher tooth count double like 28/40, if it was an XC race bike then I’d consider that option but as a day to day MTB I think 22/36 and a closer range cassette suits very nicely…

I think it’s a bit of a shame Shimano are not doing an XX style light weight double to go with their 2011 10spd kit, as very few people are really going to want a “30 speed” drivetrain, but swapping rings about is hardly that tricky…

I'm confused, what's your point?

I'm happy running a 28-40 with an 11-28 cassette.

You've got bigger legs than me!

schmiken – Member

I'm happy running a 28-40 with an 11-28 cassette.

Do you live in Holland?

Live in Suffolk but happy to race just about anywhere on those ratios. I generally find anything lower and I'm off and walking, and I can't spin out a 40/11!

I think it’s a bit of a shame Shimano are not doing an XX style light weight double to go with their 2011 10spd kit

They will, they've just not announced it yet!

I should add that my 'what's your point' was aimed at Don Simon's video post, not your 3×10 comment, which I think is very valid!

I always found when I used a close ratio cassette that I was shifting on the front the whole time, a wide ratio cassette not only gives you a 'bail out' gear, but means you can stick in one ring much more!

I should add that my 'what's your point' was aimed at Don Simon's video post,

A reaction to the learn to spin comment. Different people, different styles. If you can get up that hill with 40T, then that in my opinion is a wasted gear/ chain wheel. Paco lost speed on the flat sections where 44T might have been better, he also won by a healthy margin too so maybe not so important. If I could get up with 32:16, then racing with 32-11 and 32/44 shouldn't be a problem. So learn to spin wasn't a logical comment.

I'm just looking at options, and apart from learning to spin I don't see any real point in changing from 32/44 and 34/32-11 to begin with and see where it goes. 😉

40 x 28

Makes the cassette a lot more usable in the "big" ring.

I'd try a 36 single on the front but on some courses I need the 28 and can't be arsed with swapping over the whole time. Not that it would make a huge amount of difference to me anyway.

GB